The year 2007 that was

I found a sort of year questionnaire on someone else's blog and liked it. I've been looking for a way to reflect 2007 onto this blog, so here goes.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
I was a parent (ok last 2 months of 2006 too) and a god parent.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, they were all in 2006 - Edit: Not close, in Canada but Jo Stubley had Holly on 1st Nov 2006, her second girl.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Holland, France and Belgium
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
I would like to be able to generate a bit of an income, I looked into things last year, applied for a few jobs. There is the possibility of the Baby Shop in Ely with Hannah this year.
7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
29th June. This was my Grandma's 81st birthday and the day she met her Great Grandson, Leon.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Setting myself up as some sort of expert in real nappies, making a leaflet and doing talks at the postnatal groups locally. Quite a few mums took it on and I bump into mums who say they've started using them. From that, meeting Hannah who has become a good friend and potentially we will be working together in business, becoming the BabyGroe ambassador, part of providing information to new mums about how to do things simply, cheaply and without too much cost to the environment.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn't set my sights on much other than Leon really I never was that ambitious but maybe you could call not looking at doing much else was a failure. I have friends, that I know I shouldn't compare myself to who have done amazing things as well as bring a boy into the world the end of 2006. I wish I could be someone who can generate money rather than just spend it.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, been very lucky.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new bike and bike seat for Leon
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Toby's; he's taken on doing most of the cooking and has a relaxed and confident, loving and strong relationship to fatherhood.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
BBC 6music. They went from being the best music station my miles to becoming a poor sibling to radio 2. I did complain but I'm listening more and more to radio 4 now.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Food, house and Leon!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I got a phone call from Phil Jupitus one morning in response to a text I sent about a month before he left 6music, which was a 5 minute chat about why he was leaving 6 among other things. We became MySpace buddies and in response to a whimsical fan letter I emailed him, he made me a really lovely compilation CD and occasionally writes to me.
Being a parent is very exciting so it's been an exciting year. Seeing the scan of Newbie was pretty exciting. Taking Leon on holiday - that's exciting!
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Gogol Bordello, Start Wearing Purple
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, looking forward to becoming a mother of 2 - Tob and I are doing well as a couple too.
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter, still fit the same clothes strangely. Although I'm back in 2006's maternity wear. I feel better looking than ever before weirdly.
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer, much.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Travel, see lots of bands, dance, although everything I've missed out on has been a choice based on not wanting to go back to work in order to be a full time mum.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I could have budgeted better, I'm still bad with money, I'm better than I was but I've made some duff purchases and spent money I shouldn't have.
20. How did you be spend Christmas?
With Dan and Ellen at there's a small family Christmas, just what we wanted.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
I fell in love even more with my son, Leon than I ever thought possible.
22. How many one-night stands?Never been my thing.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
Heroes and How To Look Good Naked.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No
25. What was the best book you read?
I'm going to be really predictable and say the last Harry Potter.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Tough to go for just one. Regina Spektor, Bearsuit, Gogol Bordello, Hawksley Workman and Arcade Fire. I've done a hell of a lot of singing for Leon so in a way I've discovered my own voice again, which isn't a bad thing.
27. What did you want and get?
Ipod - I've always wanted one and I won a 30gb video Ipod early in 2007 thanks to the bad lyrics competition on 6 music; possibly one of the last competitions on the BBC before the hoo hah about rigged stuff put a stop on all BBC competitions.
I use it all the time while walking the streets of Ely. I've been able to consolidate so much good music from what we had on CD to the masses of music on Tob's PC. I don't think I've ever had access to so much music I love and on shuffle it's an amazing bottomless pit of musical delight; a fortnight's worth of music over the past 500+ years, 5000+ tracks and it's still not full!!! Podcasts are great too.
28. What did you want and not get?
A really cushy, quite well paid part time job at Witchford College as Clerk to the Governors I applied for. It would have been perfect.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
Pan's Labyrinth, and Tristan and Isolde
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I invited a few mums who weren't working that day round for cake, most couldn't make it apart from one new friend I made in September at baby swimming called Nirvana and her daughter, Hannah. We ate cake and took the sprogs to the swings. I was 37.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?Selling our house easily in the Summer would have been nice - being in a new place for Christmas but hey, it wasn't to be.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Jeans, kaftan top and birkies. More mother with baby than fashion obviously. However, there are plenty of women out there who make more effort even with a kid. I was on a tight budget. I like my long red hair. I wore alot of green, which contrasted well with my hair.
33. What kept you sane?
Toby's parents really. Having someone there as mad about Leon as we are and who are willing to give us the precious bits of time off to chill out either alone or as a couple.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Actor, Rufus Sewell, phrooor. Best thing I've seen him in this year, Taming of the Shrew, BBC telly adaptation. Very well done and very sexy.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Locally, the council in Ely's bad planning regarding the centre, shops and so on. I've made my comments known in the local papers.
Internationally, Pakistan - I was really shocked that the world just let the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto happen when she had said it would. Politically, the world is full of major countries on the brink of destruction at the moment, I don't think it's always like this. The rise in religious extremism is a worrying part of this I suppose.
36. Who did you miss?
Kari, in London. My friends in Holland,
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Hannah - an extraordinary woman, an entrepreneur.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
Make sure you've closed the stairgate upstairs before allowing roaming small child onto the landing. They do bounce but I don't recommend letting them roll down stairs.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true
etc
Singing this to Leon is the best form of getting him to chill out under almost any circumstances. I enjoy singing it too, which helps.